The contribution was announced Tuesday during a press conference in
Las Vegas attended by Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Sen. Harry
Reid of Nevada. UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta was also present, as were
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and
former Bellator lightweight ruler Michael
Chandler.

Launched in 2011, the Cleveland Clinic study was started to observe
the effects of head trauma on combat sports athletes, with a focus
on detecting early signs of brain injury and identifying which
individuals might be more likely to develop chronic neurological
disorders. The knowledge gained from the study may also be applied
to athletes from different sports, as well as members of the
military and civilians who have suffered head trauma.

Nearly 400 fighters are currently involved in the study, 25 of whom
are retired. Data garnered from the fighters is being compared to
the data of a control group made up of individuals of the same age
and education level who have not experienced head trauma.
Researchers hope that the investigation will eventually enroll 625
to 650 participants.

“We have made great progress in the study so far, and we are
continuing to work toward understanding why certain individuals
sustain long-term brain injury from repeated head trauma and how we
can detect changes early to protect those individuals,” said
Charles Bernick, M.D., associate medical director at the Cleveland
Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and principle investigator
on the study.